In The Beginning, There Was Populous

Phil Harr from The Escapist writes:

"Old gods will stir and be appeased. They awake and shake off dust of ages, ready to tear the earth asunder and inspire their faithful. Leveling the land to ease the rise of civilization, calling down fire from the heavens or using other miracles to spur forward Progress, their will be done.

It was the year of our lord 1993 when I first bore witness to Peter Molyneux's firstborn god game, Populous. I was only 10 years old when I ascended the stairs to the upstairs den of my friend Jon's house. There was the common altar you'd find at all my friends' houses: a Super Nintendo and a television. The lights were off and Jon had muted the game music in favor of the Smashing Pumpkins. He was furiously working to manage the tiny figures walking about and occasionally warring against each other. I asked what they were accomplishing, and he explained he was trying to increase the population of his faithful."